How can mindfulness training address the negative effects of growing up in poverty? City Visions talks with educators and researchers about an innovative program at Stanford that is helping kids address stress through mindfulness and yoga.

Traditionally, many U.S. counties have relied on “scared straight” tactics to keep youth from getting back in trouble. In Florida, for example, one juvenile detention center sits down young offenders in front of a “wall of shame,” a collection of photos of teens who have been shot and killed post-release. But one city is trading in these scare methods for a yoga mat and a couple of hours of meditation.

There are thousands of yoga studios all over the Bay Area. They usually cater to people who can pay the $15-20 class fee. But the Nirgoa Institute in Berkeley offers classes to low-income senior citizens, incarcerated youth, homeless shelters and inner city high school students.